I brought this kit
from Calum and when it arrived in the post with a few other kits I was quick to
inspect the kit. The detail on the kit is great just as one would
expect from Tamiya. However I noticed that there was no detail on the control
panel, the thought crossed my mind to get an aftermarket cockpit from Craig but
instead I opted to use the decals for the control panel. It was the first time I
had used decals on an control panel which turned out so well. I first
painted the
control panel gloss black then applied the control panel decal with some Polly Scale
decal softening solution 505401, which really made to decal sink into the panel.
Once the decal was set, I airbrushed a coat of gloss clear over the panel.
Now it
was time to move onto building the cockpit. I used Model Master cockpit green,
and then painted the throttle box and switches in flat black. I finished up
going over the cockpit with a dry brush of sliver and I then used Tamiya's
weathering master set B to dirty up the cockpit. The rest of the kit went
together with little trouble and minimal putty. I decide to send Craig at
Aeroworks an E-mail and order the Ultracast P-47 Seats witch comes in a pack of
two so I have one spare for the second P-47. The Ultracast Seats look great and
add some much needed detail to the cockpits I ended up ordering a whole bunch of
Ultracast seats for some of my other kits. With most of the kit built it was
time to paint.

Click on
images below to see larger images

pic 3

pic 4

pic 5

pic 6

Picture 03 and 04 show the
kit cockpit which isn't bad, Tamiya cockpits are normally quite good.
Although I believe that Tamiya could improve the cockpit a little more by
adding detail to the control panel.

Paint:

My usual method was
to use Model Master paints aluminium first followed up with Olive Drab 34087
and Neutral Grey FS3621 with a little Humbrol Gloss red for the nacelle and tail
fin. Once the paint was dry and set I used some gritty wet rub paper and
attacked the surface of the kit in certain places, when I was happy with the
affect I airbrushed the entire kit in Humbrol gloss clear.

Click on
images below to see larger images

Finish:

I decided to use the kit decals
of Lt. Frank Kibbe of the 56th FG, 61st FS, Halesworth UK. March 1944. With the
decals set in place, I covered the kit in another coat of clear, followed up
with a pastel wash to highlight the panel lines and to dirty up the kit. It was
now time to cover the entire kit in matt clear to seal in the pastel, I then
pulled out the Tamiya weathering set and added some stains on the wings, wheel
well and behind the cowling, with a some more matt clear to seal it in. I then
preceded to finish off the kit wheels, cockpit window, drop tank and ordnance.
The staff car is from the Tamiya Limited Edition kit 89732 P-51D Mustang and
U.S. Army Staff Car that Claum got hold for me. Calum also got a hold of the
Limited Edition kit 89754 U.S Army Infantry At Rest and P-47D Thunderbolt which
I'm looking forward to building. Both those kits were cheaper than a standard
1/48 Tamiya kit in the local Hobby shop.

Click on
images below to see larger images

Thanks:

Calum for the
ordering the kit for me, drop Calum a line from anywhere in Australia atgib@gibstuff.net
for some great priced kits, and other modelling goodies or check out
his web site at www.gibstuff.net/models
Calum beats the price on the Hobby shops.

Craig at Aeroworks
for the paint and Ultracarst seats. Drop Craig a line from anywhere around the
globe for a hot list what's on offer for your modelling needs at aeroworks@iprimus.com.au